Ornamental paper and method of manufacturing same



Aug. 13 1929. MacLAURlN 1,724,672

ORNAMENTAL PAPER AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SAME Filed 'Nov. 3, 1925VENTOR. F/&2. I

Patented Aug. 13, 1929.

JOHN MAC LAURIN, OF WARE, MASSACHUSETTS.

ORNAHENTAL PAPER AND METHOD 01 MANUFACTURING SAME.

' Application filed November 3, 1925. Serial No. 88,850.

This invention relates to and the like, hereinafter referred to aspaper, which are coated or otherwise treated to produce ornamentaleffects.

The invention provides a unique article of this character, and it alsoinvolves a thoroughly practical method of manufacturing such an article.

I have found that very unusual and pleasmg effects can be produced bycoating paper, or the like, with certain substances which, upon dryinproduce flake-like crystals. Especially p easing effects are produced bycoating paper with a solution of manna or mannitol and then socontrolling the drying of the solution on the paper that large flakelikecrystals will form, the crystals spreading until they meet each other.These crystals are irridescent and if the solution is colored or tinted,very attractive and papers, fabrics,

unique results are produced. For example,

' 'nitol or mannite, may perhaps still the solution may be so coloredthat the crystals-will have a delicate pink tint, in which case theyresemble shell pearl formations and unitedly they form a coating ofunusual beauty.

Commercial manna of either the small ake or large flake variety may beused successfully, but I prefer to extract it by dissolving thecommercial product in boiling water, allowing it to cool; and thenfiltering off the crystals. This removes many of the impurities,produces a material having a better color, and removes the tackyconstituent of the original manna, leaving essentially a material whichis known as man although this material be associated with someimpurities. I have produced very satisfactory results by dissolvin fiftypounds of mannitol, or manna after %eing extracted as above described,in fifty pounds of water, and adding to this solution four ounces of gumtragacanth, two ounces of glycerine, and the desired coloring matter totint the solution. This solution is applied to the paper, or the like,while hot, say at a temperature of 175 F.-, and the paper so coated isthen allowed to dry. It appears to be very important for the roductionof the large flake-like crystals w ich are desired to avoid disturbingthe coating after it has once been applied to the paper and also .tocontrol or regulate the rate of drying of the coating so that it .willnot proceed too rapidly.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a iagrammatic view showing an apparatus'with which the present process may conveniently be practiced; and

ig. 2 is a plan view of a portion of a sheet of paper coated inaccordance with this invention.

Referring to Fig. 1 it will be seen that the paper to be coated isunwound from the supply roll 2 and is led over g'uide rolls 3 and 4 to adip roll 5 which is artly submerged in the coating solution old in thetank 6. The solution is maintained at the desired temperature by heatsupplied from any convenient source, as for example, from a gas burner7, although a watery jacketed tank is preferable to one directly heated.The paper passes between the roll 5 and a squeeze roll 8, is led out ofthe tank and over guide rolls which engage the uncoated surface of thepaper, and it then goes to a suitable festooning mechanism. Thethickness of the coatin applied is determined by the, adjustment of thedistance between the squeeze roll 8 and the roll 5, and it is referable,also, to maintain the level of the coating solution in the tank 6substantially at the height of the bite of the rolls 5 and 8. It will beobserved that this arrangement leaves the coated surfaces of the paperundisturbed after it comes from the coatin bath, and this appears to beessential to the proper formation of the crystals desired.

The rate of drying of the coating may be controlled by properlyregulating the humidity in the room where the coating operation iscarried on. It is more economical and generally preferable, however, toaccomplish this result through the use of a ygroscopic agent in thecoating compound, and preferably a hygroscopic adhesive agent is usedfor this purpose, the adhesive producing a firmer bond between themannitol crystals and the paper. It is for this purpose that the gumtragacanth and glycerine' are used in the formula these materialscombinedform an adhesive having a high affinity for water. Thetragacanth may, however, be replaced b starch, Irish moss, or othersuitable a hesives. If the adhesives used has sufficient affinity forwater, the glycerine may be omitted.

The rate of drying of the coating should be so controlled that in fromfive to fifteen minutes after the coated paper has left the above givensince tank, small crystals begin to appear, first showing simply aspoints, and gradually growing or spreading until they meet, so

and lying edge to edge.

hastened artifically as by running the paper Y over a drying drum,

the temperature of which is, properly regulated, and the coated web maythen be wound up in the usual manner.

As above stated, this procees produces very unusual and pleasingresults. The crystalline coating has .a soft satin appearance which isver attractive indee particularly when the co or used in the coatingsolution is appropriately chosen. Such papers are especially adapted forbox coverings, envelope linings, and a great variety of other uses.

While I have herein disclosed a formula which has produced verysatisfactory results, it will be understood that this disclosure is maderather by way of illustration than limitation, and that not only may agreat variety of formulae be used but that the process of the inventionmay be practiced in different ways and with many difi'erent forms ofapparatus.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to claim as new is:

1. An article of the character described comprising a sheet of paperhaving thereon an ornamental coating of flake-like crystals comprisingmannitol associated with a small percentage of a hygroscopic agent.

2. An article of the character described comprising a sheet of paperhaving thereon an ornamental coating of flake-like crystals joined edgeto edge, said crystals consisting chiefly of mannitol associated with asmall percentage of a hygroscopic adhesive agent.

ut a plicant has endeavored to.

3. article of the character described comprising a sheet ofpaper havingthereon an ornamental coating of flake-like crystals joined edge toedge, said crystals consisting essentially of mannitol associated withsmall percentages of coloring material and hygroscopic adhesive agent.

4. That improvement in the process of manufacturing ornamental paperwhich consists in coating a sheet of paper with a coating compoundconsisting Chl6fly*0f a solution of mannitol, drying the paper socoated, and so controlling the rate of drying of the coating thatflake-like crystals will form on said paper with the edgesof saidcrystals substantially meeting each other.

5. That improvement in the process of manufacturing ornamental paperwhich consists in coating a sheet of paper with a coating compoundconsisting chiefly of a solution of mannitol, drying the paper socoated,

leaving the coating undisturbed while it dries, and so regulating therate of drying that flat flake-like crystals will form in the coatingandspread until they substantially meet each other.

6. That improvement in the process of manufacturing ornamental paperwhich consists in coating the paper with a solution of mannitol,allowing the paper so coated to.

dry, and using a hygroscopic agent in said solution to control the rateof drying of the coating so that the greater part of said coating willbe converted into flake-like crystals.

That improvement in the process of manufacturing ornamental paper whichconsists in coating paper with a hot aqueous solution of mannitolassociated with a coloring material and a small percentageof ahygroscopic adhesive substance, leaving the coated surfaceundisturbedwhile it dries, and so regulating the rate of drying that fiatflake-like crystals will form in the coating during drying and spreaduntil they sub stantially meet each other.

8. An article of the character described comprising a sheet of paper,having thereon an ornamental coating of flake-like crystals consistingessentially of mannitol associated with a small percentage of anadhesive agent.

JOHN MAGLAURDT.

